PowaKaddy FW7s Golf Trolley Review

If you are a follower of Apple products you will know that when they put an 's' on the end of the name it usually means the same chassis, but faster with a better screen and that is pretty much what PowaKaddy has done with the FW7s.

Whilst the PowaKaddy FW7s won't fit in your pocket as a daily companion wherever you go, it will be at your side on the course and that is why PowaKaddy has pulled out all the stops for their new top of the range trolley.

This combines with an improved lithium battery option that provides 20% more staying power to ensure that you can go further on a single charge.

Both lithium and lead acid batteries use the same cordless Plug 'n' Play connectors that mean you can just slip the battery into the tray and off you go.

The lithium option is £150 extra but well worth it for the additional power, plus it is lighter to carry and can be left in place when the trolley is folded down to save space.

There is a button on the base of the thin lithium battery to disable it when folded into the trolley for travelling, but just remember to switch it back on when you need to charge it.

The screen now looks more like a dashboard as it is 6cm wide which is 50% bigger than the FW7 and the whole control unit is bigger too.

The screen features more colour and lines that make it look like a control panel from the USS Enterprise. It is eye catching but maybe does not help the clarity as much as it could because the key numbers like the speed don't seem much bigger than before, just more spaced out.

The usual nonsense for distance travelled and shot measurement that is only accurate on a flat course going in a straight line has now been joined by a calorie counter, which should make you feel better about the number of Mars bars consumed during your round. However, how it can arrive at a figure without knowing your age, height and weight is almost shrouded in as much mystery as how John Daly is still alive and in one piece to play on the Champions Tour.

All this info may be good post-round banter stuff, but really something more practical like a lost ball timer or GPS holder to connect to the built in USB charger would do more to justify the extra £130 cost of the FW7s over the nonsense-free FW5.

However the FW7s does have the performance edge with the Automatic Distance Function (ADF) that goes up to 50 yards in 10 settings rather than the 3 of the FW5, plus there is the option of the Electronic Braking System (EBS) to slow the descent of the FW7s on steep slopes.

Both of these are key features in any 'money-no-object' trolley for me, so if you are investing over £600 for an FW7s with a lithium battery, ADF and EBS, then the increase in the guarantee period from 2 to 3 years will be another selling point.

It also looks a little sharper as you can get the frame in a sleek titanium silver colour with the base trim in carbon fibre or the brushed silver finish below.

The bling continues to the silver speed dial that sits on top of the handle and it is easy enough to use, even if it is susceptible to being nudged off by accident, as happens with any trolley that uses this style of controller.

The real solution is the PowaKaddy Touch handle, but that trolley comes with less bells and whistles and no ADF.

For those who like to cruise the fairways then the 11 inch titanium rims are bigger and wider than your average PowaKaddy, so you not only look the part, but it goes through the rough easier too. Not that you need that of course...

All the other usual PowaKaddy features are present and correct from the easy folding, stylish and practical frame to the Key Lock bag holder in the base.

At the heart of the FW7s is a quality golf trolley and on the course it felt robust, solid and was very easy to use, so if you can stretch to the lithium and EBS options then that would make the PowaKaddy FW7s an worthy choice.